Ascendia Bank rebrands, adds senior hires and opens Oradell branch

Ascendia Bank unveils new name, leadership hires and Oradell branch as it prepares for centennial

Ascendia Bank, the institution formerly known as Glen Rock Savings Bank, has completed a formal rebrand effective October 25 and announced senior hires and a new branch as part of a push to strengthen commercial lending and technology capabilities ahead of its 100th anniversary.

Rebrand and leadership at a glance

The name change to Ascendia Bank is not linked to any change in ownership and will not produce personnel layoffs. The bank’s new website is listed as AscendiaBank.com. The move comes as the institution prepares to mark its centennial and follows recent investments in facilities and technology.

Senior hires to boost lending and cybersecurity

Ascendia Bank added two veteran bankers to its leadership team to bolster two core functions. Jonathan Jacobs joined as vice president and commercial lending manager and will oversee commercial lending operations, including underwriting and evaluating commercial real estate applications, preparing loan approval memoranda, ongoing commercial credit relationship support, and explicit management of construction loans. He will lead a team of Commercial Loan Administrators, Commercial Credit Analysts and Commercial Loan Processors. Jacobs arrives with more than two decades of commercial lending and credit analysis experience and a history of managing large loan portfolios.

Paul Skinner was named senior vice president and chief information security officer. He will manage information systems, technology infrastructure and data processing operations, and guide IT/IS policy development, system design and programming, network and database management, cybersecurity measures and disaster recovery planning. Skinner brings more than 40 years of banking IT and operations leadership, including core banking system conversions, infrastructure upgrades, digital and mobile platform launches, and strengthened cybersecurity and compliance programs.

CEO transition and governance

John D. Allen IV is serving as president and chief executive officer, having assumed the role on August 25. Allen is a licensed CPA with advanced academic and professional banking credentials and a background that includes senior finance roles at community-investment organizations and nearly a decade at a regional bank where he served as senior vice president and treasurer. The prior longtime executive is remaining with the bank in an advisory capacity through January 2026 and will later continue service as a board member.

New Oradell branch and community response

Ascendia Bank opened a new branch at 550 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell with a grand opening on November 4. The 3,300-square-foot location is the bank’s fifth branch and the second in Bergen County. The site, previously occupied by a credit union, includes two drive-up windows and a walk-up ATM available 24/7. The grand opening drew several hundred attendees, featured a ribbon-cutting with local officials, community giveaways and on-site promotions. Many residents lined up to open new accounts during the event.

Products, promotions and continued local focus

To coincide with the branch opening, Ascendia Bank rolled out several limited-time offers that will remain available due to strong uptake. Promotional products include a special nine-month Welcome CD, three-tier Welcome Money Market checking and Welcome statement savings accounts, and reward-oriented checking and savings options. The bank emphasized that these product campaigns are part of a strategy to pair neighborhood-style service with modern digital conveniences.

Digital upgrades and customer convenience

This year the bank enhanced its mobile banking platform to allow customers to open accounts, deposit checks, pay bills, monitor account activity and apply for mortgages via smartphone. Executives framed the mobile upgrades as a way to offer community-bank relationships with the convenience expected from larger institutions.

Historical background and recent facilities

Tracing its roots to 1922 when it was founded as the Building and Loan Association of Ridgewood, the institution changed its name to Glen Rock Savings Bank in 1937 and has served northern New Jersey households and businesses for a century. The bank opened a new headquarters last November that includes a dedicated mortgage lending center, part of a series of recent investments in physical locations and technology platforms.

What this means for customers

Customers can expect no personnel disruptions tied to the rebrand, continued branch and digital services, and new leadership focused on expanding commercial lending capacity and strengthening cybersecurity. The bank’s public information and consumer-facing services are being published on AscendiaBank.com.